OTTAWA - Exhibition game? Maybe on paper, but the Ottawa RedBlacks' game Saturday in Saskatchewan, while counting for nothing in the standings, is much more than just a chance to knock around guys wearing green jerseys.

For some Ottawa players, it will be a test of survival -- play well and maybe earn a roster spot -- for others it breaks up the monotony of training camp -- and it gives the team a good measuring stick, an opportunity to figure out how it stacks up against the best.

While the RedBlacks, as an expansion team, aren't given much of a chance against the defending Grey Cup champs from Saskatchewan or, really, anybody else, Ottawa's veterans aren't afraid to lob out the "P" word. Playoffs.

"It couldn't be any better of an opportunity for us to get better as a team," said RedBlacks quarterback Henry Burris. "We're going into an oven-like atmosphere. There will be a lot of young guys thrust into the fire as far as going into a loud environment. Here we are already working on a silent cadence just in case the crowd noise is nice and loud."